ALMOST half of councils are unable to provide carers for vulnerable ­people when they request it, according to research.

Nationwide, some 2,165 extra ­carers for 433 authorities are urgently needed to help look after the elderly and infirm, according to a leading nursing agency.

A Freedom of Information request revealed that almost half of local authorities were unable to find a care provider to cover all requests.

The research, carried out by Prestige Nursing + Care, discovered the ­average number of hours where ­carers were needed but could not be found was 582 a month – equivalent to the hours worked by five additional care workers.

Jonathan Bruce, managing director of Prestige, said: “There is a clear shortage of carers with councils unable to find providers to cover requested care, something that will only increase as the number of older people in the UK continues to soar, and the number of people requiring care rises.

Under the Coalition cuts to council budgets have meant it is now only the most serious cases that qualify for council care.

Yet even those in urgent need are in danger of not receiving the care they need.

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There is a clear shortage of carers with councils unable to find providers to cover requested care, something that will only increase as the number of older people in the UK continues to soar, and the number of people requiring care rises.

Jonathan Bruce, managing director of Prestige

“In light of this, it is alarming that only one of the major political parties has set out a clear aim to recruit more care workers and even then it is not clear how this will be delivered.

Care and an ageing population should be a key issue policy for the outcome of the looming election, yet the contenders have failed to address one of the key challenges.

“Care workers choose their profession in order to help people, and although care and nursing was recently voted the most fulfilling sector to work in, a key reason for the difficulties in recruiting staff is the demanding nature of the job and relatively low pay, impacted by a lack of government funding.

There are going to be extraordinary demands on our care services in the years to come and we need action now on providing adequate reward and strong career prospects to those we need so desperately to join the profession.”